The Lord Will Not Give In
Jeremiah 15, verse 1. Then the Lord said to me, “Even if Moses and Samuel stood before Me, My soul would not be favorable toward them. Send away this people, and let them depart. Jeremiah 15, verse 2. It shall be, that if they say to you, ‘Where should we depart?’ you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord: “As many as are for death, to death, and as many as are for the sword, to the sword, and as many as are for famine, to famine, and as many as are for captivity, to captivity.’” Jeremiah 15, verse 3. I will punish them in four ways,” says the Lord, “the sword for slaughter, the dogs for tearing in pieces, the wild beasts of the earth and the birds of the sky for eating and destruction. Jeremiah 15, verse 4. I will deliver them into distress to all the kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh son of Hezekiah, the king of Judah, for all he did in Jerusalem. Jeremiah 15, verse 5. “Who will spare you, O Jerusalem? Who will fear for you? Who will turn back to ask peace for you? Jeremiah 15, verse 6. You turned away from Me,” says the Lord. “You will go backward, and I will stretch out My hand and destroy you. I will no longer leave them unpunished. Jeremiah 15, verse 7. I will scatter them in a dispersion. In the gates of My people, they are deprived of children. They destroyed My people because of their vices. Jeremiah 15, verse 8. Their widows multiply more than the sand of the sea. I brought upon the mother of a young son misery at midday. I suddenly cast upon her trembling and anxiety. Jeremiah 15, verse 9. She who gave birth to seven has been left empty, and her soul has succumbed to misfortune. The sun set for her when it was still noonday. She was put to shame and insulted. I will give their remnant to the sword in the presence of their enemies.”
Jeremiah Senses Failure
Jeremiah 15, verse 10. Woe is me, my mother! You gave birth to me as a man who is condemned and at variance with the whole earth. I have neither helped anyone, nor has anyone helped me. My strength has failed among those who curse me. Jeremiah 15, verse 11. O Master, may this be the time of their prosperity. Surely I stood before You in the time of their calamities and in the time of their affliction for their good against the enemy. Jeremiah 15, verse 12. The Lord says, “Will iron be known? But your strength is a bronze covering. Jeremiah 15, verse 13. I will give your treasures as plunder in all your boundaries, in exchange for all your sins. Jeremiah 15, verse 14. For I will enslave you to your surrounding enemies in a land you have not known. For a fire has been kindled from My anger, and it shall burn upon you.” Jeremiah 15, verse 15. O Lord, remember me and visit me. Let me go unpunished because of those who persecute me. Do not bear long with them. Know how I have met with disgrace for Your sake at the hands of those who reject Your words. Jeremiah 15, verse 16. Make an end to them, and Your word shall be the gladness and joy of my heart; for I am called by Your name, O Lord, the Almighty. Jeremiah 15, verse 17. I did not sit in their council while they mocked, but I feared because of Your power. I sat alone, for I was filled with bitterness. Jeremiah 15, verse 18. Why do those who grieve me prevail against me? My wound is severe, but from where will I be healed? It has indeed become to me as deceitful water that has no faithfulness.
The Lord Restores Jeremiah
Jeremiah 15, verse 19. Therefore thus says the Lord: “If you return, I will restore you, and you shall stand before My face. If you bring forth what is honorable from what is unworthy, you shall be as My mouth. They shall return to you, but you shall not return to them. Jeremiah 15, verse 20. I will cause you to be like a strong brazen wall to this people. They will fight against you, but not prevail, because I am with you to save you, Jeremiah 15, verse 21. to deliver you from the hand of evil men, and to set you free from the hand of pestilent men.”